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Crash (2005)

Crash
Bulloch takes a moment to thank her lucky stars she's finally in a decent movie.

Starring:

Sandra Bullock
Don Cheadle
Matt Dillon
Terrence Howard
Thandie Newton

Released By:

Lions Gate Films

Released In:

2005

Rated:

R

Reviewed By:

Adam Mast

Grade:

A-


Crash is an exceptional piece of film making from writer Paul Haggis who just last year garnered praise for his Million Dollar Baby screenplay. With this powerful film he takes a stab at directing, and proves himself worthy in that arena as well.

This sprawling tale of race relations in Los Angeles brought to mind Grand Canyon, 21 Grams, and Traffic meshed with the narrative flow of the overrated Magnolia. The end result is a brilliant, thought provoking expose on nearly every facet of racism.

What can I say? I was floored by this film. It took me by absolute surprise, and it brought up nearly every conceivable emotion you can think of. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me sick, and it pissed me off, but mostly, it made me think. And as bleak as Crash gets, it's ultimately a very hopeful film.

Crash will be attacked in some circles and in fact, I've heard the film called everything from pretentious to overly melodramatic to racist. These people obviously saw a different film than the one I saw. Paul Haggis' screenplay is tough and thoughtful, and given that it's taking a deep look at racial issues, I don't see how anyone could complain that the movie itself is racist. As for being pretentious, I don't see that either. The movie is slightly gimmicky in the way that it interweaves it's characters' lives and story-lines, but in many ways, the narrative also elevates the overall impact of the movie. There are so many unpredictable moments in this unforgettable picture, that I quickly lost count. From the opening sequence in which Ludacris and Larenz Tate play two men who walk out of a restaurant where they feel they've been mistreated, to an absolutely shocking accident in which a rattled Matt Dillon must re-evaluate the way he's looked at the world, Crash delivers one compelling incident after the next.

I absolutely loved the way this picture unfolds. We are introduced to certain characters throughout Crash who we don't like that much, but in most cases, by the end of the film, revelations are made that change these perceptions. Revelations that open our eyes to what's actually going on. In doing so, Haggis isn't asking us to forgive these people for some of the terrible acts they've committed, but he does shed light as to why they might be acting the way they're acting and in most cases, the explanations are deeper than I expected them to be.

I was shocked on several occasions by the fates that awaited many of the various characters throughout this provocative film, and really appreciated that Haggis ties up all loose ends. Some of the stories end on a downer note, but rest assured that the end of the film offers up a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Of all the compelling stories taking place in Crash, the scenario that touched me the most was the previously mentioned sequence involving Matt Dillon's character and an awful car crash.

The performances are all stellar, granted I did have a hard time buying into Brendan Fraser as the D.A. of Los Angeles. It greatly helped that he only clocked in about five minutes of screen time. And in his defense, they were a decent five minutes. The standouts in this incredible ensemble cast are Matt Dillon as a racist cop who's put in an extremely awkward position and Don Cheadle as a by-the-book police officer who's forced to deal with racial issues in the highest levels of power.

Also making a striking (and most surprising) appearance is Sandra Bullock, very convincing as a racist woman who isn't even aware that's she is a racist. And to think, I had just seen her stink up the screen in Miss Congeniality 2 less than twenty four hours earlier. She's very good here and makes the most of a small but vital part. Also lending they're considerable talent to the film are Thandie Newton and Terrence Howard as a couple who are forced to deal with the intense after effects of an awful incident following a routine traffic stop. Rounding out the stellar cast are Ryan Phillippe (in the best performance of his so-so career), William Fichtner, Keith David, Shaun Toub and Jennifer Esposito.

Crash is an important film. It's important in the same way that movies like Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing are important. It's brutal but fair, bleak but hopeful and painfully honest in it's complex look at how different individuals perceive race relations. It's an extremely relevant film, perhaps the best of the year thus far (right alongside New York Doll). This is astonishing achievement from writer/director Paul Haggis, and while it might be a little too much for some to stomach, I was profoundly moved by it.

:: zBoneman.com Reader Comments ::

Ian Barlow

Ian Barlow

Oh my God Crash is such a killer movie I can't wait to go see it again. Seriously you got it right on the money, amazing script acting dialogue - wonerful socio-political commentary just brilliant. Crash is why I still consider my self a film buff even though 75 percent of what finds its way to the Bijou is complete rubbish. Hurray for everyone involved with this crashing brilliance.

Jocelyn Marks

Jocelyn Marks

Crash rocks more than any film I've seen since Fight Club - not that there's a close comparison in content, but just it's visceral quality and intense confrontations. I worry that they released it too early in the year for it to win the Oscars it deserves. Maybe they'll remember Haggis since he wrote Million Dollar Baby? I certainly hope so because films with this much on the ball just don't come along very often.

Try'n Ryan

Try'n Ryan

Crash was able to do what no other movie ever made has been able to do - make me like Ryan Phillipe - I'll be damned. That in itself is a tremendous feat.

Chuck Parsons

Chuck Parsons

Crash is such a wonderful film and I was so pleased that just by word of mouth and great reviews it had a really strong opening weekend - hopefully even more word of mouth will give it an even bigger push. Movies like this need to be commercially successful if we wont to be able to bitch about the kind of movies hollywood churns out. So go see this film in a theatre take your friends, go out on a chat site and make it happen. Crash is sensational and important and we need to support it with our ass in a red seat.

Crashing Bore

Crashing Bore

What is with everybody? I got a better title for this film "Crap." Haggis the magnificent would have us all believe that everyone is a biggoted racist asshole, and problems of communication even simple little misunderstandings that could easily be smoothed over, are how everyday societal interaction must operate. Take away, the ridiculous coincidences and the overbloated racist characterizations and add some normal everyday conversation and Crash falls apart at the seams. As it is, it's a big ridiculous pile up of histrionics and overdramatazation. No shit my brutha's - Thank god LA is nothing like the LA in haggis' fool mind. Fuck this movie.

Tyrell

Tyrell

Even though this film is intended to demonstrate the foolishness of racism I still felt at it's heart the film was stll racist. It still portrayed blacks in a negative light. They could have made just as powerful a movie without drubbing our noses in what lowlifes blacks are

Branton Billings

Branton Billings

After reading and hearing about all the praise for Crash I was more than excited to see it. But I have to say that I thought it's views on race relations were too obvious and heavy-handed. It could have used alot more subtlety and a lot less hokey polemics.

Dwayne Jones

Dwayne Jones

A few weeks ago there was all this panic about how noone was going to movies anymore. At the time the answer was obvious look at what's playing - crap crap crap. All of the sudden there's a handful of great films in theaters and people are going to see them. I just saw Cinderella Man, and Crash on the same day and I can say that these are two of the best films I've seen in years, so quit complaining and hit the multiplex and take your pick - there's good movies out there now,so go suport them

Jimbo

Jimbo

Good movie - but personally I thought it was a little too much on the preachy side. Without all of the heavy handed polemics it would have bee a lot better - more along the lines of Traffic - which it reminds me of, but was not so judgy - still I'd have to say it will end up on my best of list for the year.

Bruce Almighty

Bruce Almighty

Only people who have never lived in L.A. will think this film is unrealistic. Racist? Because it depicts caucausians in a negative light it must be racist towards whites as well? What a joke. The coincidences in the movie ARE the plot device by the way. It is idiotic to condemn "War of the Worlds" because it was science-fiction--and you know, like that is SO fictional.

Wootman`

Wootman`

hey i was just wondering who is the author of this article. Im writing a paper for a film class at my university and i would like to use some of the information and opinions in this, by citing and givin credit where its due....if not..."joe shmoe" will work.

Boneman

Boneman

Dear Wootman - If you'll note at the top of the review it says written by Adam Mast. And you would be perfectly welcome to use it as a reference or whatever you like, strangely alot of us here at the site frequently refer to Adam as Joe Shmoe - how trippy is that? Any how thanks for visiting the site, come see us again.

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